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Government Spending and Taxation

Government Spending and Taxation. Government Expenditures. Growth of Government. During the first 125 years of U.S. history, federal expenditures per person were small and they grew at a relatively slow rate. ( See following slide)

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Government Spending and Taxation

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  1. Government Spending and Taxation

  2. Government Expenditures

  3. Growth of Government • During the first 125 years of U.S. history, federal expenditures per person were small and they grew at a relatively slow rate.(See following slide) • In contrast, federal spending soared throughout most of the 20th century. In 2010, real federal spending per person was roughly 70 times the level of 1916. • During the 1990s per capita real federal spending was relatively constant. In fact, it declined slightly during the decade. • Since 2000, per capita real federal spending has once again been increasing rapidly.

  4. Real Federal Expenditures Per Capita: 1792-2010 $ 14,000 Real Federal Spending Per Person(in 2010 U.S. dollars) $ 12,000 $ 10,000 $ 8,000 $ 6,000 $ 4,000 $ 2,000 1800 1850 1900 1950 2010 • Real federal spending per person (measured in 2010 dollars) grew slowly during the first 125 years of U.S. history, but soared throughout most of the 20th century.

  5. 62 % 57 % 52 % 44 % 44 % 42 % 30 % 22 % 24 % 23 % 20 % 17 % Income transfers Health care Changing Composition of Federal Spending Defense Expenditures(share of federal spending) • During the last four decades, federal spending has shifted sharply away from national defense and toward spending on income transfers and health care. • In 2010, national defense accounted for only 20.1% of the federal budget, down from 52.2% in 1960. • In contrast, spending on income transfers and health care rose from 21.5% of the federal budget in 1960 to 62.2% in 2010. 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Health & Income Transfer Expenditures(share of federal spending) 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

  6. Taxes and the Finance of Government

  7. Taxes and Other Revenue Sources • Governments are financed through the use of taxes, user charges, and borrowing. • Borrowing implies higher future taxes. • The power to tax is a distinguishing characteristic of government. • The major sources of federal revenue are the personal income tax (accounted for 41.5% of federal revenue in 2010) and the payroll tax (accounted for 40.0% of the total in 2010). • Major revenue sources at the state and local level are sales and excise taxes, personal income taxes, user charges, and grants from the federal government.

  8. Sources of Government Revenue Federal Government Revenue2010 -- $ 2,163 billion State & Local Government Revenue2008 -- $ 2,660 billion InterestEarnings3.5% PersonalIncome 11.5% Property 15.4% User Charges 14.0% Payroll40.0% Personal income41.5% Sales &Excise16.9% from Fed. Govt. 18.1% Other18.4% Corp. Income 2.2% Other5.3% Corporateincome 8.9% Excise3.1% Customs duties 1.2%

  9. Taxes and the Cost of Government • A dollar of taxation costs the economy more than a dollar because: • it is costly to administer, enforce, and for both individuals & firms to comply with the tax legislation • taxes distort incentives and eliminate productive exchanges (and causes people to undertake some counterproductive activities) • Economists refer to this as the “dead weight loss” of taxation.

  10. How Has the Structure of the Personal Income Tax Changed? • The share of the income tax paid by high-income taxpayers has risen during the past 40 years – especially since 1980. (This is demonstrated graphically on the next slide). • Why has the share paid by those with high-incomes risen? • The decline in marginal tax rates has created greater “incentive effects” for high-income tax payers to earn taxable income. • The standard deduction and personal exemption have increased substantially over the past two decades.

  11. Share of Federal Income TaxesPaid By Various Income Groups Share of Total FederalPersonal Income Tax Paid • Upper-income Americans pay the bulk of the federal income tax and the share they pay has risen during the last 4 decades. Income group 1963 1980 1990 2008 Top 1% 18.3 % 19.1 % 25.1 % 38.0 % Top 5% 35.6 % 36.8 % 43.6 % 58.7 % 47.0 % 49.3 % 55.4 % 69.9 % Top 10% Top 25% 68.8 % 73.0 % 77.0 % 86.3 % Top 50% 89.6 % 93.0 % 94.2 % 97.3 % Bottom 50% 10.4 % 7.1 % 5.8 % 2.7 %

  12. 25.1 % 17.4 % 14.3 % 10.6 % 4.0 % Total Federal Taxes As a Share of Income, 2007 Federal Taxes as a Share of Income (%) • Here we show the payment of federal taxes as a share of income for each income quintile. • Note how the overall federal tax structure is highly progressive. Lowest Second Third Fourth Highest –––– Family income groups –––– (quintiles)

  13. Size of Government:U.S. versus Other Countries

  14. Size of Government: U.S. Versus Other Countries • The size of government in the U.S. is smaller than that of Japan and the major Western European countries, but larger than for a number of high-growth Asian economies.(See the following slide)

  15. Size of Govt.: An International Comparison Government Expenditures as a Share of GDP, 2009 58.8% Denmark France 56.0% 55.2 % Sweden Belgium 54.3% Greece 53.6% 52.3% Austria 51.9% Italy 51.5% United Kingdom Netherlands 51.4% Ireland 48.9% Portugal 48.2% Germany 47.6% Norway 46.2% Spain 45.8% Canada 43.4% Japan 42.3% United States 42.0% New Zealand 38.0% 36.7% Australia South Korea 31.2 % Thailand 24.0% Hong Kong 19.4% Singapore 17.9%

  16. The Size of Government and Economic Growth

  17. The Size of Government and Economic Growth • The core functions of government such as a sound legal system, access to money of stable value, and provision of public goods that are difficult to provide through markets will promote economic growth and help citizens achieve high income levels. • But when government expands beyond these core functions and into areas for which it is ill-suited, it will retard economic growth.

  18. B A Size of Government – Growth Curve • If governments undertake activities in the order of their productivity, the growth of government will initially promote economic growth (move from point Ato point B). • At some point, however, continued expansion of government will retard growth (moves beyond B). Growth rate of the economy 6% 3% Size of government(percent of GDP)

  19. Data are for the 23 long-standing member countries of the OECD Government Spending and Economic Growth • The relationship between the size of government at the beginning of the decade and the growth rate of real GDP for each decade during the 1960-1999 period is shown here. • An increase in government spending of 10% (as a share of GDP) reduces annual growth by about 1%. Growth rate(respective decade) 10 % 8 % 6 % 4 % 2 % 0 % 10 % 20 % 30 % 40 % 50 % 60 % Total government expenditures(start of respective decade)

  20. Expenditures, Taxes, Debt Finance, & Democracy

  21. Share of Population (18 and older) With and Without Income Tax Liability With Income Tax Liability % of Population With/Without Personal Income Tax Liability (18 and older) • Between 66 and 71% of Americans (18 and older) paid federal personal income taxes between the 1975 and 2000. Since 2000, that figure has declined to 51%. • The share of Americans (18 & older) paying no income taxes was approximately 30% during 1975-2000 but by 2009 it had soared to nearly 50%. 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% No Income Tax Liability 10% 1980 2000 1990 1975 2009 1995 1985 2005

  22. Share of Americans Deriving Income from Government • More than half of American families derive income from at least one transfer program. • This figure declined from 54.1% to 1991 to 49.5% in 2000 but by 2009 had risen again to 52.9%. • If government employees are included, 62.3% of American families derived either income transfers or earning from government. Government Programsand Government Employees Government Programs 63.9% 62.8% 62.3% 61.2% 59.1% 54.1% 53.6% 52.9% 51.9% 49.5% 1991 1995 2000 2005 2009 1991 1995 2000 2005 2009

  23. Implications of the Structure of Taxes and Transfers • When individuals are not paying for government programs, they are more likely to support their expansion. • Similarly, people dependent on the government for a sizable share of their income will be more supportive of government programs. • Debt financing and unfunded promised, future benefits also make it possible for politicians to provide voters with current benefits without having to increase current taxes.

  24. Implications of the Structure of Taxes and Transfers • 18th century Scottish philosopher Alexander Tytler argued …“A democracy cannot cannot exist as a permanent form of government, it can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy.” • Is Tytler correct?

  25. Government Spending, Debt, and the Fiscal Future of the U.S. • The modern political process, to a large degree, involves politicians trading government favors for campaign contributions and other forms of political support to win the next election. • Measured as a share of GDP, total government expenditures are now about 7% higher than a decade ago. • From 2009-2011 the Federal government financed approximately 40% of it expenditures by borrowing. • The Federal debt is now approximately 100% of GDP, highest level since World War II.

  26. Government Spending, Debt, and the Fiscal Future of the U.S. • A major share of U.S. government spending (e.g. Social Security and Medicare) is directed towards the elderly. • The unfunded future benefits promised under Social Security and Medicare are three times the official federal debt. • If not reformed, spending on these programs will drive Federal spending to even higher levels. • In turn, the higher level of government spending is likely to slow the growth rate of the economy.

  27. Government Spending, Debt, and the Fiscal Future of the U.S. • Several European countries including Greece, Portugal, Italy, and Spain already confront financial difficulties because of their high debt levels and unfunded promises. • We are in the midst of a great fiscal experiment that will affect both economic prosperity and future of democracy.

  28. Questions for Thought: • A century ago, federal taxes and spending per person were substantially lower than today. How would the U.S. economy be affected if the federal government was, for example, one-third its current size? What programs would you favor cutting? • Can democracy survive if a majority of the citizenry pay little or nothing in taxes while benefiting directly from a higher level of government spending? Why or why not?

  29. Questions for Thought: • The marginal tax rates imposed on those with high incomes are now substantially lower than in 1980. Would you like to see higher tax rates imposed on high income Americans? Do you think higher rates would increase the tax revenues collected from high-income Americans? • Are the following statements true or false? a. During the first 125 years of U.S. history, federal expenditures per person were small and they grew at a relatively slow rate. b. In 2010, real federal spending per person was about 80 times its level of 1916.

  30. End of Special Topic 1

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